Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Donald Robert Beaman passed away in Hood River, Ore. on Sept. 30, 2019, at the age of 86. He was born in Chicago, Ill., on April 2, 1933, to Daniel R. and Frances L. (Hill) Beaman. He graduated from Evanston Township High School and served in the U.S. Army Artillery Survey Section. He received a B.S. and M.S. in metallurgy and a Ph.D. in metallurgy and solid-state physics from the University of Illinois.
In 1965, he went to work for The Dow Chemical Company in the Metallurgical Laboratory, transferring to the Analytical Sciences Laboratory in 1972. He was an internationally renowned specialist in the area of microscopy and surface analysis. He assembled a world-class laboratory facility with 22 highly-qualified team members and state-of-the-art microanalysis capabilities at the atomic and molecular scale. His professional expertise and contributions led to numerous awards, inventions, 70-plus publications, patents and scientific society memberships.
He retired as a research scientist in 1995 and moved to Heber City, Utah to ski every day of the season at Park City Mountain Resort. Bob began his skiing career with the National Ski Patrol, serving 28 years at Bear, Thunder and Boyne Mountains. He spent 18 of those years as the Northern Michigan Region first aid advisor. He was a bicyclist, technical mountain climber, water and snow skier and an avid hiker, continuing to hike into his 80s. His love for climbing began with the 54 peaks in Colorado over 14,000 feet, accumulating five or six per year during his summer trips from Michigan.
Mountain climbing led him to the top of many famous mountains (the Matterhorn, Eiger, Mont Blanc, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and Mount Fuji). The countless number of lesser-known mountains, as long as it was UP, allowed him to stay physically fit and find himself in the most beautiful places on earth. Over the years, keeping up with him required training from his kids and friends who chose to join him for ski or climbing trips.
He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Lynna (Bamberger), and his children, Judy Gooch, Doug Beaman (Michele), and Rana Beaman (Dane Backman).Â
Bob encouraged his children to be active and his spirit lives on through their love of outdoor activities and their quest for excellence in their careers. This spirit extends to his six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.Â
Friends and family will gather for a celebration of life on Wednesday, Oct. 9 in White Salmon, Wash. A gathering will take place in Midland, Mich., in the spring; details will be provided at www.andersonstributecenter.com/memorials/donald-robert-beaman/3979081/index.php. The family encourages you to visit the website to leave a note and share pictures.
In lieu of flowers, friends may choose to send a donation to their favorite environmental, scientific, nutritional, outdoor, etc. charitable organization. He gave to them all and believed deeply in the spirit of donation.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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